Caroline Wawzonek

Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Inuvik Boot Lake, that Bill 34, Supplementary Appropriation Act (Infrastructure Expenditures) No. 1, 20212022, be read for the second time. This bill makes supplementary appropriations for infrastructure expenditures of the Government of the Northwest Territories for the 20212022 fiscal year. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Madam Chair. So, Madam Chair, the process that would be followed through the disaster assistance committee is that individuals have the opportunity  members of the community have opportunity to make their application, make it known, list out what items it is that they may have lost and, you know, what damage they may have incurred. And while there's no necessarily  you don't necessarily have to be bringing in a receipt to do that. Essentially you're writing out a list of what you believe your losses or damages to be. The caveat or the kind of note that I'd make with that, though, is...

Thank you, Madam Chair. Madam Chair, so I think it is only Canadian North, if I'm not mistaken, that is of a size that it would be receiving funding from other jurisdictions. They have to report all of their receipts, all of their revenue sources to the Department of Finance. But, again, the funding that we are distributing to them, again, this a federally mainly a federal program. The amount that they get from the federal government is for the wage subsidy program. So it is not business relief. It is not relief to assist them in their maintaining of their operations of their fleet of, you...

Thank you, Madam Chair. Madam Chair, we are not driven by getting money from the federal government. It will certainly be nice to get money back from the federal government. They have a disaster relief fund. It is set up to provide supports for all provinces and territories. Our disaster assistance policy is not that different from the others for this exact purpose. But we aren't before the House right now with this, making the commitments that I've made today, in the hopes that I'll get money back. We're here because we want to make sure that we're getting this money out as quickly as we can...

Mr. Speaker, I wish to table the following document: The Annual Report on Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls June 2021. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Madam Chair, one further correction in the same vein, I move that Supplementary Estimates (Operations Expenditures), No. 1, 20212022 be amended by changing under "Industry, Tourism and Investment, Minerals and Petroleum Resources Activity, not previously authorized", to negative $118,000. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Madam Chair, I saw that story too. When I saw it, I think the headline actually was that the airlines got a bit of a tonguelashing from one of my federal colleagues if I might, so. And no, to be short, the contribution agreement that we have in place that is that has to be signed by the recipients who are the recipient airlines who are receiving this funding are not to be using that for the payment of any sort of bonuses or dividend payments. It is really meant to be provided solely to provide essential air services. There is a holdback provision in the contribution...

Madam Chair, I can give you an estimate. I think we're looking at somewhere between, you know, I think 60 to 80 households right now. So at least there's a sense of the scale of what we're dealing with. And Madam Chair, again, the commitment that I'm making, I realize that it is not as specific as people want but it's an understanding now that the disaster system's committee process, while it exists, while it's a policy and it's a process and it has a way of unfolding, is going to take some time. That is why I'm making the commitment that Finance and MACA are going to work together to make...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I have only scanned notes in front of me, but I am confident that nothing that is confidential would have been shared. The meeting minutes simply are indicating that, in fact, although there were ongoing requests as to whether or not the mineral relief would be extended, this is of course just several months in, wondering what would be happening for the next year, the statement simply is that it has to go through Cabinet and FMB before such a decision is made. That is an appropriate response. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Yes, thank you, Madam Chair. Madam Chair, that certainly was considered and it may well have been considered after the suggestion I think might have been made by some of the Members in the House. You know, I would point out a couple of things. One  and it was considered as  within the Department of Finance as well as the Department of ITI to really look at what kind of bang we can get for our buck. I certainly want to encourage staycations. I know that some of the chambers are undertaking initiatives to promote staycations and promote local spending. They did that last year, and I think quite...